Average Salary for University of Missouri - Columbia Alumni

Positioned in the top 21 percent of universities by ROI, the University of Missouri — a public research school in Columbia, Mo., with around 27,000 undergraduate students — gives families an outstanding long-term payout. The athletic culture permeates campus life (Go Tigers!), and students take full advantage of the school's urban location by enjoying concerts, dinners, and festivals around town. This outline is based on answers to PayScale's salary survey.

Industry

Graduates of Mizzou work in a variety of sectors including the health care industry, the financial services industry, and the engineering services industry. The most highly represented industry among alumni is the education industry. Starting salaries of $59K are common among Mizzou grads.

Gender

Male graduates do tend to earn more than female graduates; the first group banks approximately $66K per year, but the second group takes home only around $52K.

Jobs

In the Mizzou alumni professional community, Mechanical Engineers make the highest median pay ($71K), though Software Engineers ($66K), and Electrical Engineers (about $64K) are close competitors. On the lower end, Marketing Coordinators report making $37K.

Locations

St. Louis is a hot spot for Mizzou alum. With a median salary of $69K, Overland Park represents the highest-paid city popular among Mizzou grads. Jefferson City is a popular spot for former Mizzou students at the opposite end of the pay scale; in fact, average salaries there are the lowest at approximately $48K. Other cities of interest among Mizzou alumni include nearby Kansas City and Columbia.

Employers

The highest paychecks can be found at The Boeing Company, where some Mizzou grads go to work for pay averaging around $84K. One of the most popular employers, many students find work at Cerner Corporation, which is actually one of the lowest-paying companies (pay averages about $44K).

Degree Major

A medical degree will compensate Mizzou grads at a much higher rate than other fields — these alums tend to rake in $85K per year. Ranking last in the compensation department are those holding a Bachelor's Degree, Journalism — their annual income amounts to $39K on average.

Skills

Proficiency in Project Management is common among Mizzou alumni, and when it comes to using it on the job, roughly an eighth of former students report doing so. Former Tigers who have experience with Leadership can expect to make 52 percent more than other alumni ($90K on average). Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office, and Data Analysis command top-of-the-line rewards as well.

Benefits and Perks

Only about two-fifths of alumni enjoy paid vacation and one in three grads receive sick leave. Health insurance benefits extend to a solid majority of graduates, and most survey participants sign up for dental plans. The greater part of alumni report contributing to a 401(k). Other benefits awarded to University of Missouri alumni include life insurance, a casual working environment, a company-subsidized cell phone, and flexible hours.

Related Schools

Compensation averages about $59K for University of Arkansas alumni, making their earnings most comparable to Mizzou grads. The University of Kansas, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Indiana University-Bloomington are also similar to Mizzou.